New King James Version
Hosea 10:12
12Sow for yourselves righteousness; Reap in mercy; Break up your fallow ground, For it is time to seek the Lord, Till He comes and rains righteousness on you.
Hosea 10:12 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the Lord, till he come and rain righteousness upon you.
- New International Version (NIV)Sow righteousness for yourselves, reap the fruit of unfailing love, and break up your unplowed ground; for it is time to seek the Lord, until he comes and showers his righteousness on you.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Sow for yourselves righteousness; reap steadfast love; break up your fallow ground, for it is the time to seek the Lord, that he may come and rain righteousness upon you.
- New Living Translation (NLT)I said, ‘Plant the good seeds of righteousness, and you will harvest a crop of love. Plow up the hard ground of your hearts, for now is the time to seek the Lord, that he may come and shower righteousness upon you.’
Context of Hosea 10:12
10When it is My desire, I will chasten them. Peoples shall be gathered against them When I bind them for their two transgressions. 11Ephraim is a trained heifer That loves to thresh grain; But I harnessed her fair neck, I will make Ephraim pull a plow. Judah shall plow; Jacob shall break his clods.” Sow for yourselves righteousness; Reap in mercy; Break up your fallow ground, For it is time to seek the Lord, Till He comes and rains righteousness on you. 13You have plowed wickedness; You have reaped iniquity. You have eaten the fruit of lies, Because you trusted in your own way, In the multitude of your mighty men. 14Therefore tumult shall arise among your people, And all your fortresses shall be plundered As Shalman plundered Beth Arbel in the day of battle— A mother dashed in pieces upon her children.
Read all of Hosea 10Hosea 10:12 word by word
זִרְע֨וּ לָכֶ֤ם לִצְדָקָה֙ קִצְר֣וּ לְפִי־חֶ֔סֶד נִ֥ירוּ לָכֶ֖ם נִ֑יר וְעֵת֙ לִדְר֣וֹשׁ אֶת־יְהוָ֔ה עַד־יָב֕וֹא וְיֹרֶ֥ה צֶ֖דֶק לָכֶֽם׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Sowזָרַעzâra‛ · to sowH2232
- to yourselves in righteousnessצְדָקָהtsedâqâh · righteousnessH6666
- reapקָצַרqâtsar · to reapH7114
- inפֶּהpeh · lipH6310
- mercyחֶ֫סֶדchêsêd · kindnessH2617
- break upנִירnîyr · to breakH5214
- your fallow groundנִירnîyr nir · fallow groundH5215
- timeעֵת‛êth · timeH6256
- to seekדָּרַשׁdârash · to seekH1875
- the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- till he comeבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
- and rainיָרָאyârâh yârâ' · to shootH3384
- righteousnessצֶ֫דֶקtsedeq · righteousnessH6664
Cross-references for Hosea 10:12
- Hosea 8:7“They sow the wind, And reap the whirlwind. The stalk has no bud; It shall never produce meal. If it should produce, Aliens would swallow it up.
- Psalms 126:5Those who sow in tears Shall reap in joy.
- Proverbs 11:18The wicked man does deceptive work, But he who sows righteousness will have a sure reward.
- Proverbs 18:21Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit.
- Ecclesiastes 11:6In the morning sow your seed, And in the evening do not withhold your hand; For you do not know which will prosper, Either this or that, Or whether both alike will be good.
- Isaiah 32:20Blessed are you who sow beside all waters, Who send out freely the feet of the ox and the donkey.
- James 3:18Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.
- Jeremiah 4:3For thus says the Lord to the men of Judah and Jerusalem: “Break up your fallow ground, And do not sow among thorns.
- Psalms 105:4Seek the Lord and His strength; Seek His face evermore!
- Isaiah 31:1Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, And rely on horses, Who trust in chariots because they are many, And in horsemen because they are very strong, But who do not look to the Holy One of Israel, Nor seek the Lord!
- Isaiah 55:6Seek the Lord while He may be found, Call upon Him while He is near.
- Jeremiah 29:12Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.
- Jeremiah 50:4“In those days and in that time,” says the Lord, “The children of Israel shall come, They and the children of Judah together; With continual weeping they shall come, And seek the Lord their God.
- Amos 5:4For thus says the Lord to the house of Israel: “Seek Me and live;
- Zephaniah 2:1Gather yourselves together, yes, gather together, O undesirable nation,
- Luke 13:24“Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able.
Commentaries on Hosea 10:12
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 12Sow to yourselves in righteousness - Let the seed you sow be of the best kind, and in just measure. Reap in mercy - By the blessing of God on this ploughing, sowing, and harrowing, you may expect a good crop in harvest. Break up your fallow ground - Do not be satisfied with a slight furrow; let the land that was fallowed (slightly ploughed) be broken up again with a deep furrow. For it is time to seek the Lord - This should be immediately done: the season…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 12Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy - Literally, “in the proportion of mercy,” not in proportion to what you have sown, nor what justice would give, but beyond all deserts, “in the proportion of mercy;” i. e., “according to the capacity and fullness of the mercy of God; what becometh the mercy of God, which is boundless,” which overlooketh man‘s failings, and giveth an infinite reward for poor imperfect labor. As our Lord says, “Give, and it…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 9-15Verses 9-15 Because God does not desire the death and ruin of sinners, therefore in mercy he desires their chastisement. The children of iniquity still remained in Israel. The enemies would be gathered against them. It is just with God to make those know what hardships mean, who indulge themselves in ease and pleasure. Let them cleanse their hearts from all corrupt affections and lusts, and be a broken and contrite spirit. Let them abound in works of…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 12Using farming metaphors, God explained his requirements for his people and promised blessings if they obeyed (see Hosea 6:6; 8:7). Although Hosea announced God's judgment, he also gave Israel the chance to repent and receive blessings.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1212. Continuation of the image in Ho 10:11 (Pr 11:18). Act righteously and ye shall reap the reward; a reward not of debt, but of grace. in mercy--according to the measure of the divine "mercy," which over and above repays the goodness or "mercy" which we show to our fellow man (Lu 6:38). break ... fallow ground--Remove your superstitions and vices, and be renewed. seek ... Lord, fill he come--Though not answered immediately, persevere unceasingly "till He…Read the comment
Topics related to Hosea 10:12
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Hosea 10
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries